To provide high-speed data services, network developers have expanded the optical distribution network infrastructure to be closer to the subscriber premises. Fiber To The Home (FTTH) networks based on Passive Optical Networks (PON) and Radio Fiber over Glass (RFoG) deployments based on Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) are just some examples to satisfy the above mentioned bandwidth demand. This increases the available bandwidth for subscribers. However, even with the increased amount of bandwidth, it is possible that future subscriber requirements may still run out of capacity. For example, when multiple users are sharing the available bandwidth at a specific subscriber location, the capacity available for each user may be reduced below the desired quality of service (QoS) because a high number of users may be simultaneously running data-consuming applications.
Some recent standards, such as data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) 3.1, segment available spectrum, such as in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) channels and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access (OFDMA) channels, to manage downstream (DS) and upstream (US) bandwidth. OFDMA is a multi-user version of OFDM that is used in the upstream direction. However, the segmented available spectrum in DOCSIS 3.1 (in OFDM channels—“bundles”) has not been completely exploited for an efficient management of US/DS bandwidth. On the other hand, the physical connections to the network at subscriber premises are typically implemented in the form of coaxial transmission cables or Wi-Fi links. Both of these technologies may have limitations. For example, when the coaxial cable infrastructure is used to connect devices at subscriber premises, such as a multimedia over coaxial alliance (MoCA), the cable bandwidth is shared among DS and US signals, which limits the ability to upgrade the DS and US networks to the full available spectrum of DOCSIS 3.1. Also, when operating in a Wi-Fi environment, the location of the Wi-Fi gateway is not always efficient, and attenuation around the customer premises causes signal issues and imminent reduction of available bandwidth for devices where mobility is not a concern.